A planned appearance Sunday night at a Chapel Hill nightclub by a controversial influencer has been canceled following plans for community protests.
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Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Peters, was slated to host an event at Still Life on East Franklin Street. The club announced in a statement Saturday that the cancellation was based on feedback they received and that the “safety of our customers, staff and community will always come first.”
Peters, 20, built a massive following on TikTok, Instagram, and the streaming platform Kick by popularizing “looksmaxxing,” a trend that encourages young men to take extreme, sometimes dangerous steps to improve their physical appearance to attract women, wealth and fame. He has more than 2.2 million followers on Instagram and TikTok combined.
The Chapel Hill event would have taken place two days after Peters was at The Village nightclub on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh Friday night. The appearances in the Triangle are part of Peters’ college tour, according to his Instagram.
Starting at 14, Peters began enhancing his appearance, which helped him gain a larger following online.
Some of those practices include injecting himself on livestreams, smashing his face with a hammer (called “bonesmashing”) and using steroids and crystal meth to stay thin.
He’s turned himself into a 6-foot-2 “Chad” with a 31-inch waist and clavicles (collarbones) that span 19.5 inches, according to a report by The New York Times.
Beyond his extreme cosmetic practices, Peters frequently associates with the “manosphere” and incel creators. He is also known for his use of racist slurs, including the N-word, during his livestreams. In January, he and several other far-right streamers like Nick Fuentes and convicted sex trafficker Andrew Tate, were recorded in a Miami nightclub singing the lyrics to Kanye West’s “Heil Hitler” song.
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Additionally, Peters has heavily documented history of erratic behavior and legal troubles. In April, he was hospitalized after suffering an apparent overdose that was captured on livestream, according to ABC7. He was arrested in March in Florida for battery charges, which were later dropped.
Currently, Peters is facing a civil lawsuit for sexual battery involving a minor, with the plaintiff alleging he supplied her with alcohol.
Fliers posted around downtown Chapel Hill called for the protest of Peters’ appearance at Still Life.
The News & Observer has contacted Still Life and The Village nightclub for comments on Peters’ appearances at the venues.
Milk Man Promotions, a local talent and event promotion group, told a WRAL reporter Liz McLaughlin that Clavicular was invited to the Raleigh venue and coordinated with the Raleigh Police Department to bring in extra officers.
“There is no such thing as bad publicity,” Milk Man Promotions owner “JZ” told McLaughlin. “If you’re upset, it’s not for everybody. If you don’t want to see Clav, don’t come.”
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